Spirit Children and eternal families

[TheyCallMeMom]

I have a question regarding eternal families

If a woman gets pregnant but never gives birth, due to natural circumstances, miscarriage,

are they still considered spirit children and if the parents are sealed will that child be with them for eternity?

I do not want this to become a debate on abortion. I am asking this in regards to wanted pregnancies and families being forever..

Thanks.

[LDSVALLEY]

I don't know for sure and wonder as my wife had two miscarriages. My understanding is that when we on Earth create a body to contain a spirit then Heavenly Father sends the spirit into the body. I have no idea when you would consider the body ready for this but have always assumed it made sense to be near the point if not the actual point of conception.

My personal belief is that as soon as the spirit is within the body they become our spirit children. I believe that either the two who were never born to us but were created contained a soul. Either our next child was not ready to come into the world yet, which knowing how picky she is would not surprise me to find out. Or and more likely there are two children in the spirit world with whom I shall meet some day and be untied.

I don't believe there are any scripture or direction from Prophets that completely clarify this issue but the general information about families leads me to this conclusion making sense in his plan.

Equally there is a child whom we have met, who is too old to have been the spirit of one of the ones who did not join us on Earth. But the first time we met this girl we knew somehow she is or should be part of our family. No question in my mind at all that she should be in our family and I look to the time when the veil is removed and I can finally see the relationship that exists elsewhere then Earth.

[Elgama]

no I don't believe they are but purely based on experience - I know that one of my miscarriages will be back but that the others were just miscarriages.......... my first involved a lot of prayer and blessings to understand.

What I do trust is that having been sealed to my husband, Heavenly Father will do the right thing by my family

-Charley

[Justice]

The official answer is that life happens between conception and birth.

That may not be from the direction you're asking, and it definately doesn't answer your question. But, I believe if you know at what point the spirit enters the body you would know when it becomes life. It seems to me if the spirit entered the body then it received a body, if it doesn't, then it didn't.

My wife nearly died with her last pregnancy (blood pressure got down to 20/10), and we lost the baby about 16 weeks into her pregnancy.

I'm wondering the same thing myself, and the last and only official word I've ever seen from the Church is that life takes place anywhere between conception and birth.

Sorry I couldn't help more.

[TheyCallMeMom]

bumping. any other thoughts?

[NeuroTypical]

If a woman gets pregnant but never gives birth, due to natural circumstances, miscarriage, are they still considered spirit children and if the parents are sealed will that child be with them for eternity?

I really don't know. My wife has been preggers as many as 5 or 6 times, but we've only got 2 kids. I suppose it's entirely possible that my little family of 4 might grow to 8 on the other side. I'm certainly not opposed to the notion, it's just that they'll have to introduce themselves to me and let me know what their names are.

The general handbook talks about stillborn children, mentions temple ordinances do not get performed for them, and states this does not deny the possibility that a stillborn child may be part of the eternal family. We should trust the Lord. We may or may not choose to name the child. We may or may not hold a memorial or graveside service.

There isn't any revelation on the exact timing of when the spirit enters the body.

LM

[peanutgallery]

My mom had many miscarriages and asked her leaders. They told her that it was one of those things that we just don't know and each situation is different. They told her that she should keep a record of the dates in her journal though.

BTW - My husband and I were married for 3 years before we were sealed. I refused to try to get pregnant until we were sealed because I wanted to make sure that there would be no need to worry about temple ordinances for miscarriages. I knew I would spend the rest of my life wondering if I had lost a child that would have been mine for eternity.

[applepansy]

I had three miscarriages. . . the first was within the first 2 months, the second I was about 4 weeks along, the third one was the most difficult . . . I was 4-1/2 months along. The baby's heart rate was irregular at one of my prenatal appointments so the doctor scheduled another ultrasound the following week. The follow-up Ultrasound showed that the baby had died. They induced labor and I gave birth. It was not like the other miscarriages. . .it was labor and delivery. My husband and both saw the perfectly formed baby boy after he was born.

This has been a emotional issue for me. What I know through prayer, both in and outside of the temple, is that I will have the opportunity to raise that little boy. I've never gotten confirmation from the Spirit about the other two.

What I believe is that the Spirit enters the body of the baby at conception. What I don't know is what choice that Spirit makes after that. Not many women realize they have miscarried if its within the first 2-4 weeks. . . its just another period. Science has proven that not all egg/sperm connections are viable. I believe that the each baby's Spirit has a choice whether to stay with the body or if its not viable to try again and therefore some miscarriages will not result in children you will raise in the millenium. We have all had our agency since being born as Spirit children of our Heavenly Parents.

Each situation is unique. The only way to know for sure is through prayer and a confirmation from the Holy Ghost. I received the answer to my prayers in the temple.

applepansy

[Maya]

There are a lot less misscarriages over here than in USA. I wonder why?

[ninjormon]

On Church records children born or not born to parents that are already married in the temple the childrens status is labeled as born in the covenant. Therefore there doesnt have to be a sealing ceremony for those children. Maybe I can get a confirmation from a seretary on that.

[applepansy]

On Church records children born or not born to parents that are already married in the temple the childrens status is labeled as born in the covenant. Therefore there doesnt have to be a sealing ceremony for those children. Maybe I can get a confirmation from a seretary on that.

You are right. Children Born in the Covenant do not need to be sealed. Also, children who died before age 8 do not need to be baptized.

applepansy

[Hemidakota]

I have a question regarding eternal families

If a woman gets pregnant but never gives birth, due to natural circumstances, miscarriage,

are they still considered spirit children and if the parents are sealed will that child be with them for eternity?

I do not want this to become a debate on abortion. I am asking this in regards to wanted pregnancies and families being forever..

Thanks.

Unless you felt 'life came into that mortal body' then yes. A mother usually knows she has felt this happen as my beloved companion did on many occasions. We indeed lost a child to a miscarriage.

[Hemidakota]

You are right. Children Born in the Covenant do not need to be sealed. Also, children who died before age 8 do not need to be baptized.

applepansy

They will return to live out there lives in the Millennium and will be required to be baptized, [priesthood for men], receive temple ordinances and be sealed. This is the requirement for inheriting the Celestial Glory.

[TheyCallMeMom]

so there is no actual church doctrine on this.. its up to our own interpretation and revelation?